London cinema: How to score tickets on the cheap
Oscar season is upon us, and the lousy weather makes it the perfect time to cozy up and watch some of the latest releases. But in the age of downloads, going to the cinema in London has become somewhat of a premium experience, with ticket prices closer to those of the theater than a cheap night in. Cheapos should not despair however, as there are still ways to enjoy the movie theater experience without breaking the bank. Here’s how:
Monday Madness and Student Tuesdays at the Barbican Centre
The Barbican runs a “Monday Madness” promotion, where tickets to new releases cost just £6 on Mondays, while on Tuesdays students can gain access for a fiver (on production of a valid student card). The Barbican is a good choice for all tastes as it screens everything from popular mainstream releases to smaller art-house productions, and there are even regular £6 parent and baby screenings geared towards parents with children aged 12 months or under.
Barbican Centre
Silk Street London
Box Office: 020 7638 8891
“Super Tuesday” at Vue and “Bargain Tuesday” at ODEON
Tuesday is the day to bag cheap seats at Vue and ODEON cinemas across the city. For Vue, just fill in the online form to receive a special membership code and get up to 1/3 of all adult ticket prices every Tuesday, it’s as simple as that. In turn, selected ODEON cinemas offer special rates on Tuesdays (for 2D films only), but the prices and level of discount depend on the cinema and film. You’ll get the best rate if you bypass online booking fees and buy direct at the box office or ticket machine in the cinema.
Rich Mix Six cinema. Photo: Frank Boyd
Rich Mix Six £6 admission on Mondays
Rich Mix is an eclectic arts centre and charity in Shoreditch showcasing live music, dance, comedy and film among other creative activities. The cinema offerings are excellent, ranging from general releases to more niche independent and world cinema, and the best thing about it is that every Monday cinema tickets cost just £6 to any film when booked online. There are some family-friendly options too, with parent and baby screenings for £6 each Monday and special weekend kids’ screenings from just £1.75 per person.
Rich Mix Six
35 – 47 Bethnal Green Road
Box Office: 020 7613 7498
Orange Wednesdays two-for-one tickets
The old favorite: if you’re visiting London and surprised to see queues for the cinema on a Wednesday night, it’s because phone operator, Orange’s Orange Wednesdays have become a bit of an institution. Every Wednesday customers are entitled to two-for-one on film tickets at participating cinemas. You just need to text “FILM” to 241 from an Orange or EE sim card to generate a special code which can be used to redeem your discounted ticket at the box office. Alternatively, download the EE FIlm or Orange Wednesdays app on your smartphone for iTunes or Google Play. Added into the deal is two for the price of one on pizzas and doughballs at Pizza Express, so Cheapos can fill their bellies AND get their fill of entertainment for half the price every single week. Delicious!
About the author
There’s also the O2 Priority Moments app where you can often get 40% discount codes 🙂